Gardening With Plant Propagation
Propagating plants comes in two main methods which are Sexual and Asexual propagation. Both have its different procedures and objective in terms of gardening. It is the multiplication of the plants using the two said means. Before one can perform this kind of gardening, they first should know a lot about plants and ways on how to manipulate them. This method is also considered as an art form.
Sexual Propagation
This kind of propagation is multiplying the number of plant species by using its seeds. This is actually the most commonly used type of plant propagation. This one requires much knowledge about plant seeds before gaining successful results. Both seeds and spores can be used in this kind of method for reproduction. Plants like flowers and ferns use the sexual propagation. They both need seeds for the plants to multiply and germinate. Any other plant that uses its seeds for production belongs to this group. A seed will germinate and grow normally provided it is viable. Seeds need to be ripe before they can readily germinate.
The seed’s dormancy requirement must be met. Dormancy is the period when an organism’s life cycle is temporarily stopped. For sexual propagation, there are two stages of dormancy that must be done. First is the Physical Dormancy which is overcome by scarification, or the seed coat dormancy. It is done by mechanical, hot water and sulfuric acid treatments. Another one is the Physiological Dormancy which uses photodormancy, thermodomancy and biochemical dormancy.
Seeds can be either indirect or direct. For indirect seeding, the plants are sown indoors and transplanted. Examples for this are tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. On the other hand, the direct seeding is when we plant the seeds directly into their permanent growing site. It is the most economical method used by gardeners. Examples of plants that use direct seeding are the corn, melons, beans, peas, and beets.
Asexual Propagation
This is another type of plant propagation that does not use any exchange of genetic materials. It produces plants that are identical with a single mother plant. This uses the modern science methods of growing plants. This kind of planting uses synthetic methods like cutting, layering, grafting, budding and tissue culture.
Cuttings are done by removing a portion from the mother plant and that cut portion will grow into another plant replacing the tissues that are removed. There can be many types of cuttings. Stem cuttings is made by injuring the xylem and phloem of the plant and plugging tubes that will supply the fluids that are lost. This method is often used in home gardening.
Leaf cutting uses the leave to produce another entire plant. One good example for this is the Begonia plant which is divided into segments that will grow into a plant.
Layering is another type of propagating plants via asexual method where the roots develop into another plant while still attached to the mother plant.
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